Biography of Amos Albert Belsley

Amos Albert Belsley has been a spirited factor in the business and civic life of Wellington, Kansas, for the past fourteen years. He is one of the leading real estate men of that section, and is a former mayor of the city.

His birth occurred on a farm in Woodford County, Illinois, near Roanoke, August 24, 1878. He was the sixth in a family of nine children born to Peter and Cathrine (Schertz) Belsley. His father was born and reared in Woodford County, Illinois, and the grandfather, Peter Belsley, came from Alsace-Lorraine and settled in Illinois in 1830. Peter Belsley, the father, spent his active career as a general farmer and stock raiser, and died in October, 1899, while his wife now lives in Peoria, Illinois. He was very prominent as a democrat, and filled many places of trust in his community. He was president of the Roanoke Coal Mining Company of Roanoke, Illinois, from 1882 until the time of his death in October, 1909.

Amos A. Belsley grew up on a farm, attended district school, and from the age of eleven to eighteen he had the opportunity of attending school for only three months each year. Later, as a preparation for his business career, he took a course in the Brown Business College of Peoria, Illinois.

It was in 1902 that Mr. Belsley came to Kansas and located at Wellington. For a time he was bookkeeper in the Farmers Bank, and in 1906 he and others organized the National Bank of Commerce, and he was assistant cashier and a director of that institution until 1909. When he left the bank in 1909 he entered the real estate business, and in that line has been very successful and has a host of friends and well wishers in this part of the state. In 1911 he formed a partnership under the name of Belsley & Fetters, but since 1916 has been alone.

On February 10, 1909, Mr. Belsley married Kathryn Hazel Herrig, of Wichita, Kansas. He has always remained true to the political faith in which he was reared, the democratic, and has been a rather active party man since coming to Kansas. His service as mayor of Wellington was for three years, from 1911 to 1914. That administration marks an epoch in municipal improvements. The water plant was started, the beginning of a city park system, much paving was done and the Carnegie library movement begun while he was mayor. Whether in office or as a private citizen Mr. Belsley has been more than willing to share his time and service for the benefit of the public welfare. He is a member of the Scottish Rite body of Masonry, and is also a Lodge, Chapter and Commandery Mason, being a past officer of the Chapter and Commandery. He belongs to Wichita Consistory No. 2 and to the Midian Temple, Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine at Wichita, Kansas. He is a past exalted ruler of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of Wellington Lodge No. 1167, Wellington, Kansas, and is a member of the Knights of Pythias Anchor Lodge No. 9, Wellington, Kansas, and a Modern Woodman of America. He and his wife are loyal church workers in the First Congregational Church at Wellington, Kansas.